Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The 2019 AFC Champions League quarter-finals are now nearly upon us as the eight remaining sides get ready to continue their quest to be crowned Continental champions.
As the first legs of four eagerly awaited contests get set to kick off on Monday, the-AFC.com has picked out one key player from each club who could light up the last eight and help fire their side towards glory.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Guangzhou Evergrande FC’s rising star Wei Shihao is counting down the minutes to the return of the 2019 AFC Champions League as he hopes to help the two-time champions win a record third Continental title later this year.
The competition resumes in East Asia after a two-and-a-half month hiatus next week, with Guangzhou facing off against defending champions Kashima Antlers in a mouth-watering quarter-final clash that the China PR international is relishing.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tokyo: Shinzo Koroki’s goals have been instrumental for Urawa Red Diamonds in the AFC Champions League as the two-time champions have advanced to the last eight of this year’s competition, even if the 33-year-old claims he has yet to be at his best in the 2019 Continental championship.
Koroki scored three times during the group phase as Urawa emerged from Group G in second place behind Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to secure their spot in the knockout phase for the fifth time in the club’s history.
But it was his brace in the second leg of the Round of 16 win over Ulsan Hyundai in June that was of vital importance to his team as those goals spurred Urawa to a 3-0 win on the night and a 4-2 aggregate victory overall to send the J.League side into the quarter-finals.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Jeddah: José Luis Sierra’s Al Ittihad received a confidence boost ahead of the 2019 AFC Champions League quarter-finals by defeating Lebanon's Al Ahed in the first leg of the King Muhammed VI Cup Round of 32 on Tuesday.
Al Ittihad defeated Al Ahed 3-0 at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, setting them up nicely for the kick-off of their 2019-20 Saudi Pro League campaign and 2019 AFC Champions League quarter-finals.
Al Ittihad open their domestic season with a home tie against Al Raed on Friday and then play domestic rivals Al Hilal SFC in the first leg of the 2019 AFC Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Shanghai: Vitor Pereira is setting his sights on another trophy in the wake of Shanghai SIPG’s Chinese Super League triumph last year as the Portuguese tactician seeks to establish a culture of success at the club, with this season’s AFC Champions League a prime target.
Pereira guided Shanghai to the Chinese title last year as the club claimed their first-ever trophy before the Chinese Super Cup was added to their haul at the start of the current campaign with victory over Beijing Guoan.
But, with their quarter-final against Urawa Red Diamonds in the AFC Champions League looming, the former FC Porto coach is determined to secure another major trophy this season as he aims to create a winning habit at the Shanghai club.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ibaraki: It’s been seven years since they last went head-to-head, but Brazilian titans Leo Silva and Paulinho will battle for midfield supremacy when Kashima Antlers and Guangzhou Evergrande FC face off in the quarter-finals of the 2019 AFC Champions League next week.
Tianhe Stadium will be the venue for the duo’s first meeting on Asian soil on August 28 in the first leg of their last eight clash in the Continental club championship, and comes a little more than seven years since their first – and so far only – meeting on the pitch.
That was at Sao Paulo’s Estadio do Pacaembu, when Paulinho’s Corinthians shared a 1-1 draw with a Portuguesa side featuring Leo Silva and the Kashima star is relishing the prospect of renewing his rivalry with the former Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Al Sadd are in the right place ahead of the kick-off of the 2019-20 Qatar Stars League (QSL) and 2019 AFC Champions League quarter-finals.
The Xavi-led reigning QSL champions are already in competition mode after their triumph over local rivals Al Duhail in the 2019 AFC Champions League Round of 16 and Sheikh Jassim Cup and looking to continue their fine start.
The 4-2 Round of 16 aggregate win over Al Duhail was followed by a 1-0 triumph in Saturday's Sheikh Jassim Cup and midfielder Ali Asad said their good early season form is a confidence booster for Al Sadd.